"Living Together: Inventing Moral Science" Book Panel

On this episode, we’ll hear a book panel discussion on David Schmidtz’s book, Living Together: Inventing Moral Science (Oxford University Press, 2023). In his comments, Schmidtz discusses his academic journey and the reshaping of his philosophical views, emphasizing real-world observations over theoretical debates, and comments on the work of Adam Smith and David Hume. He stresses the necessary role of humility in sciences and highlights how game theory has challenged the pre-existing theoretical frameworks of human behavior, underscoring the limitations of theories in explaining complex, human interactions. The panel is moderated by Peter J. Boettke, and they are joined on the panel by:

Ryan Muldoon, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Philosophy, and the Director of the Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics Program at the University at Buffalo, and author of Social Contract Theory for a Diverse World: Beyond ToleranceMargaret Schabas, Canadian Philosopher and Professor of Philosophy and Economics at the University of British Columbia and author of A Philosopher's Economist: Hume and the Rise of Capitalism

David Schmidtz is the Presidential Chair of Moral Sciences and the Director of the Social Philosophy and Policy Center at West Virginia University. He is a Distinguished Affiliated Fellow with the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and editor-in-chief of Social Philosophy & Policy.

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